Technical discussions are underway between the Europeans and Canadians, particularly on the question of access to the Canadian market for European cheese, to facilitate a rapid materialisation of the provisional entry into force of the EU-Canada free-trade agreement (CETA).
“There are ongoing exchanges between us on the different aspects of these multilateral implementing regulations and measures, including those concerning the management of the tariff rate quota on cheese”, a European Commission spokesperson said on Monday 19 June. He went on to describe increased access to the Canadian cheese market as an “important benefit” anticipated from CETA.
Expressing hopes that these discussions will conclude shortly, the Commission stressed that no deadline has been set for the provisional entry into force of CETA. There is, it feels, no point in making waves, following the saga of Wallonian misgivings about the EU's ratification of the free-trade deal in autumn 2016 (see EUROPE 11727, 11726).
According to CBC News of Canada, the Canadian authorities are giving Canadian dairy producers a role in the use of European cheese import quotas. Europeans fear that this measure will limit access to the Canadian market. Under CETA, the import quota for European cheese to Canada will be nearly 18,000 tonnes over six years. (Original version in French by Mathieu Bion)